Ask the CEO: How to Talk Politics in the Office

Welcome to Ask the CEO, in which chief executives take time out from running companies to solve your career problems.

Carly Fiorina, 59 years old, was the chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Inc. from 1999 until 2005. In 2010, she ran for the U.S. Senate as a California Republican. She currently chairs Good360, a nonprofit that helps companies donate inventory to charitable groups, and helps organizations with leadership development. Edited excerpts:

Carly Fiorina

carlyfiorina.com

Q: Can I share my political views at the office?

It depends. There’s nothing wrong with people expressing views and getting into dialogue and discussion. In some cases, it enlivens the workplace a little bit. On the other hand, if it gets to be very divisive or disruptive then it gets to be an issue. It’s all about the spirit in which the dialogue happens. Are you really interested in learning someone else’s view and finding some common ground and debating the issue? Or are you trying to beat somebody over the head and say, “You’re wrong and I’m right.” The former’s fine; the latter’s going to be a problem.